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The floorcoverings market is comprised of a several
key products including carpet, wood, vinyl, ceramic tiles and
others (including linoleum, natural stone, cork, rubber, etc).
The dominance of the domestic sector, and in
particular domestic carpet, has seen the total floorcoverings
market experience more difficult conditions in 2008. The dramatic
decline in new housebuilding, and the significant slowing of the
house moving sector, have affected sales resulting in an estimated
4% decline for 2008 compared with the previous year.
Carpet represents the dominant floorcoverings sector
with estimated value share of around 58% in 2008, but this
represents further decline on 2006 levels. Tufted carpets have
continued to dominate the carpet mix, although there has been some
gain for fibre-bonded carpets in 2008 as consumers have been
trading down.
Wood floorcoverings has also had a mixed experience since
2006 with further evidence of declining laminate sales in terms of both
value and volume. Laminates have been hit particularly hard by declining
DIY sales. In contrast, both solid and engineered woods have remained
popular with engineered woods continuing to take share in both the
domestic and contract sectors.
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